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A Brief History of Mandalorians

While there are many cultures, peoples, and lore throughout the entire Star Wars universe, arguably one of the most prominent and popular are the Mandalorians. A culture built on war, Mandalorians have fought everything from dragon-like creatures called Mythosaurs, to themselves.

Mandalorians originate from the planet of Mandalore. Currently, the planet is uninhabitable. Residents live in their cities in large domes protecting them from the severe conditions of the external planet, which was ravaged through constant war. Mandalorians also live on it’s moons, Concordia, and Kalevala and the planet of Concord Dawn.

Thousands of years before the Clone Wars, the Mandalorians were fighting the Jedi Order. Clan Vizsla, in the fall of the Old Republic, had captured a weapon known as the Darksaber from the Jedi Temple.

As depicted in the animated series the Clone Wars, Mandalorians were in a civil war. There were the New Mandalorians, who wished to move into pacifism and there were also those that wished to defer back to their warrior past. The governor of Concordia, Pre Vizsla, revived the Mandalorian warrior past as the Death Watch and conspired with Count Dooku but their plans failed.

Later, the Death Watch fled and became mercenaries and contributed to the undoing of Dooku, but later joined with Darth Maul’s Shadow Collective to win back the support of their fellow Mandalorian people. However, after Vizsla betrayed Maul, Maul killed him and became the new Death Watch leader, which influened Bo-Katan Kryze to rebel against him.

Death Watch, and Clan Vizsla, are now regarded as traitors as seen in the new animated series Star Wars Rebels when Mandalorians question Sabine about being a member of Clan Vizsla.

Mandalorian culture can be seen like a pyramid, there was the Manda’lor, his Protectors who enforced his rule, then Houses and family Clans such as Clan Vizsla. Mandalorians had a code of honor, which could be brought up in disputes.

Mandalorians are also represented in the real world with their own costuming group known as the Mandalorian Mercs. Members make and wear their armor to conventions, charity events, and many other events. Armor is usually casted with sintra, and shaped to the wearer’s body with a heat gun. Armor is comprised of plates, helmet, a flight suit, a flak vest, a weapon of sorts, a belt, and some trophies.